By Hans Ebert
Though there are Six Up and Triple Trio jackpots to win, some will be seeing who rides off with the coveted Tony Cruz Award given to the most successful Hong Kong-born rider.
Perhaps someone might ride off with Tony? That would at least tart up the solemnity of those tedious cardboard cutout presentation ceremonies that are regularly cobbled together as memories for the winning connections.
Anyone bother to watch the ‘live’ streaming from somewhere of the Champion Awards presentation last night? Woah!
As for tonight, I guess, there might be some mild interest as to what jacket Mr Douglas Styles might wear or whether Casibah might break into his Watusi Victory Dance, but these are peripheral things that are just passing fancies that in time may go. Sing it, Frankie…
Going into the final race meeting of this season, Vincent Ho holds an important two win lead over boom-bang-a-lang apprentice Jerry Chau for the Putha Man Award.
Looking at their respective horsepower tonight, Vinnie seems to have the stronger book of rides, but the manner in which Jer has been riding and the confidence he exudes, only a fool will not give him a bloody good winning chance.
If he fails tonight in his attempt to win the award, there’s always next season though this might deprive his boss of modelling his latest Joseph And The Technicoloured Dream Jacket.
Frankly, the rider who, at least to me, has a strong book of rides tonight is a former winner of the Tony Cruz Award- Derek Leung.
After a good long run of riding winners and long priced place getters, the talented local jockey has hit a bit of a lean patch in recent meetings- but things could easily turn around and Derek could close the season off with a bang. We should all be so lucky to end the night with a bang. We’d be watching his rides closely and also those of Neil Callan who’ll be signing off on his career here after over ten successful years.
One is willing to bet that if he were to win a race tonight, this will be punctuated by one of his shrill victory screams which could shatter a few windows in the vicinity.
Needless to say, the tough Irishman would relish the chance to leave Hong Kong on a high winning note. It’s not exactly been a stress-free season for the rider and his family. For many, it’s actually been a strange and unsettling Hong Kong racing season full of bubbles, baubles and worry beads at a time in the world where “The Season Of The Witch” has been playing non-stop in the background.
Here’s hoping that everything sorts itself out and life gets back to some kind of weird new abnormality because what’s going on now is just Facebook nonsense and with many drowning in the kaka of their own self-important flatulence.
For those returning to this city for the new racing season, and hopefully not after one of those useless staycations where the chances of running into your neighbours are extremely high, try and have a good break. Return re-energised and with a positive outlook on life and a positive looking future- that doesn’t look like Igor on one of his better days.
NOTE: All photos by @wallacewanck
Comments